Many customers are criticising Subway’s commercial, saying it is extremely annoying, while some say the ads made them crave McDonald’s.

Subway has even started apologizing on Twitter to customers who say they hate the ads.

The sandwich chain’s chief advertising officer told Business Insider that the company is “very encouraged by the responses we’ve seen so far.”

Subway has a new anti-McDonald’s commercial. But, based on social-media reactions, it isn’t having exactly the intended response.

Earlier this week, Subway debuted a new ad campaign that features the iconic golden arches (with small print that says it is “Not Affiliated with McDonald’s”).

“Burger after burger after burger. Is your burger routine feeling a little flat?” one ad reads.In the background, a high-pitched voice says “burger” with increasing speed, as if matching a fast-food-obsessed heart monitor, before flatlining.

The commercial then cuts to images of Subway sandwiches, ending with the company’s new slogan: “Make it what you want.”

The intended message of the ad seems clear: Buy a sandwich at Subway instead of a burger at McDonald’s. However, as the campaign has made its prime-time debut, many people seem to be coming away less likely than ever to buy Subway.

“This ad campaign is a terrible mix of highly annoying, and for anyone who has actually dealt with what a flatline means, highly disturbing,” reads another. “I never mute commercials, but congrats, you made one I mute every time.”

Brenden and I just saw a McDonald’s commercial and decided to order I on Uber Eats then realized the commercial was actually a Subway commercial mocking McDonalds. Either way we are minutes away from some burgers.

“The goal of this ad campaign is to get people to step out of their routines and try something new,” Chris Carroll, Subway’s chief advertising officer, said in an statement to Business Insider.

“Overall, we’re very encouraged by the responses we’ve seen so far,” Carroll continued. “This ad campaign invites consumers to experience all the changes we’re making in our restaurants, from our service to new menu items and the look of our restaurants.”